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revolver, or firearm declared nonmailable by this section, shall be fined under
this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
18 U.S.C. § 1716: Injurious articles as nonmailable
(a) All kinds of poison, and all articles and compositions containing poison, and
all poisonous animals, insects, reptiles, and all explosives, hazardous materials,
inflammable materials, infernal machines, and mechanical, chemical, or other
devices or compositions which may ignite or explode, and all disease germs or
scabs, and all other natural or artificial articles, compositions, or material which
may kill or injure another, or injure the mails or other property, whether or not
sealed as first-class matter, are nonmailable matter and shall not be conveyed in
the mails or delivered from any post office or station thereof, nor by any officer or
employee of the Postal Service.
(b) The Postal Service may permit the transmission in the mails, under such rules
and regulations as it shall prescribe as to preparation and packing, of any such
articles which are not outwardly or of their own force dangerous or injurious to
life, health, or property.
(c) The Postal Service is authorized and directed to permit the transmission in the
mails, under regulations to be prescribed by it, of live scorpions which are to be
used for purposes of medical research or for the manufacture of anti-venom.
Such regulations shall include such provisions with respect to the packaging of
such live scorpions for transmission in the mails as the Postal Service deems
necessary or desirable for the protection of Postal Service personnel and of the
public generally and for ease of handling by such personnel and by any individual
connected with such research or manufacture. Nothing contained in this
paragraph shall be construed to authorize the transmission in the mails of live
scorpions by means of aircraft engaged in the carriage of passengers for
compensation or hire.
(d) The transmission in the mails of poisonous drugs and medicines may be
limited by the Postal Service to shipments of such articles from the manufacturer
thereof or dealer therein to licensed physicians, surgeons, dentists, pharmacists,
druggists, cosmetologists, barbers, and veterinarians under such rules and
regulations as it shall prescribe.
(e) The transmission in the mails of poisons for scientific use, and which are not
outwardly dangerous or of their own force dangerous or injurious to life, health,
or property, may be limited by the Postal Service to shipments of such articles
between the manufacturers thereof, dealers therein, bona fide research or